Miniature rose plant named &#39;KORpot079&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Miniature Rose Plant, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘KORpot079’, is provided which forms in abundance on a substantially continuous basis attractive, white colored blossoms. The vegetation is vigorous and the growth habit is compact. Attractive ornamental foliage is formed with good disease resistance. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commerical classification:

Latin name—Rosa hybrida.

Common name—Miniature Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination—‘KORpot079’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Miniature Rose Plant of the presentinvention was created during 2013 at Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany byartificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previouslyhad been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the newvariety was an unnamed seedling variety (non-patented in the UnitedStates). The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘KORnilsca’variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,268).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:

unnamed seedling x ‘KORnilsca’

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Miniature Rose Plant of the present inventionpossesses the following combination of characteristics:

(a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive, whitecolored blossoms,

(b) exhibits a compact growth habit,

(c) forms vigorous vegetation, and

(d) forms attractive ornamental foliage with good disease resistance.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. Itcan be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, publicareas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant isparticularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. Morespecifically, the unnamed seedling female parent (i.e., seed parent)displays a lower petal count, a less compact growth habit, and has adifferent flower color than that of the new variety. Additionally, the‘KORnilsca’ variety (i.e., pollen parent) exhibits a different flowercolor than the new variety and displays solitary flowers, whereas thenew variety forms clusters of flowers and has an improved shelf lifecompared to the ‘KORnilsca’ variety. Moreover, the new variety can bereadily distinguished from similar non-parental varieties. For example,the ‘KORpot044’ variety exhibits less glossy foliage and larger flowersize compared to the new variety. Additionally, the ‘Poulpa025’ varietyexhibits a fragrance and displays approximately 140 petals, whereas thenew variety exhibits no noticeable fragrance and displays approximately90 petals.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in KleinOffenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany by a number of routes such as vegetativecuttings. Asexual propagation techniques in Germany have shown that thecharacteristics of the new variety are homogeneous, stable, and strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in atrue-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘KORpot079’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph shows, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, atypical specimen of the new variety. The illustrated rose plant of thenew variety was approximately twelve weeks of age and was observed atKlein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany while growing indoors on its ownroots in a 6 cm container.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a plant displaying floral buds andflowers at varying points of opening.

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of the foliage—plane view—upper surface.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2015 edition). Theterminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added toindicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The descriptionis based on the observation of a one-year-old specimen of the newvariety, observed during July, while growing in a one-gallon containeron its own roots at Cochranville, Pa.

-   Class: Miniature Rose Plant.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Compact and very bushy.        -   Height.—Approximately 12.0 cm on average.        -   Width.—Approximately 20.0 cm on average.-   Branches:    -   -   Stem color.—Commonly near Red Group 46A.        -   Main stem length.—Approximately 7.0 cm on average.        -   Secondary stem length.—Approximately 3.0 cm on average.        -   Surface texture stems.—Glabrous.        -   Thorns.—Young thorns: moderate amount; length is            approximately 3.0 mm on average, width is approximately 1.0            mm at point of attachment on average, and color is commonly            near Yellow-Green Group N144D. — old thorns: moderate            amount; length is approximately 3.0 mm on average, width is            approximately 1.0 mm at point of attachment on average, and            color is commonly near Greyed-Orange Group N167B.-   Foliage:    -   -   General appearance.—Ornamental with good disease resistance.        -   Young foliage.—Upper surface color commonly near Green Group            138A. — under surface color commonly near Green Group 138B.        -   Old foliage.—Upper surface color commonly near Green Group            137A. — under surface color commonly near Green Group 137B.        -   Petioles.—Upper surface: texture is smooth, color is            commonly near Green Group 137B. — under surface: texture is            smooth, color is commonly near Green Group 137C. — length:            approximately 1.5 cm on average.        -   Rachis.—Color upper surface is commonly near Green Group            137B, under surface is commonly near Green Group 137C. —            size: length is approximately 4.0 cm on average. — surface            texture: smooth with a few small prickles on the under            surface.        -   Stipules.—Length: approximately 6.0 mm on average. — width:            approximately 3.0 mm on average. — margin: entire to erose.            — color: upper surface is commonly near Green Group 137C;            under surface is commonly near Green Group 137D.        -   Leaf margin.—Serrate; margin undulation is absent.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Odd pinnate.-   Leaflets:    -   -   Number.—3, 5, and 7.        -   Shape.—Ovate; terminal leaflet apex is acute; and terminal            leaflet base is rounded.        -   Venation.—Pattern is reticulate and color is commonly near            Green Group 138A.        -   Texture.—Upper surface is glabrous; lower surface is            moderately rough.        -   Glossiness intensity.—Upper surface is moderate.        -   Size.—Terminal leaflet: length is approximately 2.5 cm on            average and width is approximately 1.5 cm on average. —            lower leaflets: length is approximately 1.5 cm on average            and width is approximately 1.0 cm on average. — 5-Leaflet            leaf: length is approximately 4.5 cm on average and width is            approximately 3.0 cm on average.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—Approximately 12 blooms on average on a            plant at once.        -   Number of blooms per stem or in a cluster.—Commonly between            1 and 5 blooms per stem on average.        -   Type.—Solitary inflorescence, sometimes with multiple            inflorescences per stem.        -   Size.—Length is approximately 4.0 cm on average; and width            is approximately 4.0 cm on average.        -   Peducle.—Color: commonly Yellow-Green Group 144A. —            diameter: approximately 2.0 mm on average. — length:            approximately 1.2 cm on average. — surface texture: sparely            covered in short, flexible thorns that measure less than 2.0            mm in length.        -   Sepals.—Number: commonly 5. — upper surface color and            texture: covered in short pubescence and color is commonly            near Yellow-Green Group 144A. — under surface color and            texture: puberulent and color is commonly near Yellow-Green            Group 144B. — size: length is approximately 1.8 cm on            average and width is approximately 4.0 mm on average. —            shape: lanceolate; apex is acute to aristate. — margin:            entire with occasional extensions on two or three sepals            measuring approximately 2.0 mm in length and approximately            1.0 mm in width.        -   Bud.—Shape: ovoid to pointed. — size: length is            approximately 1.7 cm on average; width is approximately 1.0            cm on average. — color (when opening): commonly near White            Group N155A.        -   Flower.—White colored. — form: double, mostly flat — shape:            round. — diameter: approximately 4.0 cm on average. —            height: approximately 1.5 cm on average. — duration:            commonly on the plant approximately 10 days. — color upon            opening: commonly near Orange-White Group 159D with a small            basal spot of near Yellow Group 10C. — color after opening:            upper and under surfaces are commonly near White Group            NN155A blending to Yellow Group 8C at the point of            attachment.        -   Fragrance.—None noticeable.        -   Petal.—Number approximately 90 on average. — drop: good. —            length: inner petals are approximately 1.0 cm on average and            outer petals are approximately 1.7 cm on average. — width:            inner petals are approximately 5.0 mm on average and outer            petals are approximately 1.3 cm on average. — shape: overall            shape is broadly obovate; apex is round; and base is            cuneate. — texture: upper and under surface is glabrous. —            margin: entire; margin undulation is weak to moderate.        -   Petaloids.—Number approximately 3 per flower on average. —            color upon opening: commonly near Yellow-Green Group 149D            with a small basal spot of near Yellow Group 10C. — color            after opening: upper and under surfaces are commonly near            White Group NN155A blending to Yellow Group 8C at the point            of attachment. — size: length is approximately 8.0 mm on            average and width is approximately 4.0 mm on average. —            texture: smooth. — margins: variable, entire to erose. —            shape: variable, oblong and mostly curving inward; apex is            round, and base is cuneate.        -   Stamen.—Number approximately 20 on average. — anthers:            number is about 20 and color is commonly near Yellow-Orange            Group 22A; length is approximately 2.0 mm on average. —            filaments: length is approximately 1.5 mm on average and            color is commonly near Greyed-Yellow Group 160A.        -   Pistils.—General: appear to be underdeveloped and non-viable            structures. — number: approximately 40 to 50 on average. —            color: commonly near Green Group 142A. — size: length is            approximately 5.0 mm on average; and width is approximately            1.0 mm on average.        -   Receptacle.—Achenes stand on the bottom and wall; diameter            is approximately 5.0 mm on average, shape is round, color is            commonly near Yellow-Green Group 144A, and surface texture            is smooth.        -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Hips/seed.—None observed.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Dark green, vigorous, and strong.        -   Blooming.—Abundant and substantially continuous.        -   Winter hardiness.—Unknown.        -   resistance to disease.—Good resistance to Powdery mildew,            including Sphaerotheca pannosa, and Botrytis (Botrytis            cinerea) disease under normal greenhouse growing conditions            in Cochranville, Pa.

Plants of the ‘KORpot079’ variety have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possiblethat the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in lightintensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmentalconditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Miniature Rose Plant characterized by thefollowing combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly andsubstantially continuously forms attractive, white colored blossoms, (b)exhibits a compact growth habit, (c) forms vigorous vegetation, and (d)forms attractive ornamental foliage with good disease resistance;substantially as herein shown and described.